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Gardy sad to see Manuel let go by Phillies

Gardy sad to see Manuel let go by Phillies

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By Rhett Bollinger
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MLB.com |

MINNEAPOLIS -- Twins manager Ron Gardenhire's last manager during his playing days was Charlie Manuel, so he was disappointed to hear the news that the Phillies replaced the long-time skipper on Friday.

Gardenhire was managed by Manuel while playing for Triple-A Portland in 1987, and said he plans to reach out to Manuel in the next few days. Manuel leaves Philadelphia as the organization's winningest manager. and led it to the World Series title in 2008.

"I'll give him a day or two and then I'll give him a phone call here," Gardenhire said. "He was my last manager as a player, so I had a lot of fun with him and have a lot of respect for him."

Gardenhire, who like Manuel is in the last year of his contract, said that he doesn't believe the news has any bearing on his own job status with the Twins.

"It doesn't affect me at all," Gardenhire said. "I've got mine, and he's got his. We'll deal with it at the end of the year, just like I've talked with the Pohlads and I've talked with Terry [Ryan]. Everything will be talked about at the end of the year -- the right thing for this organization, for myself and for Terry."

Gardenhire added that he remains happy in Minnesota, and hopes to keep managing the Twins beyond this season. He's currently the second-longest tenured manager in the big leagues behind Angels skipper Mike Scioscia.

"This is my 12th year and it doesn't get much better than that," Gardenhire said. "Managers just don't stay in places like that. I feel like I've been blessed. I'm lucky. I'm not going to sit here, if this is my last year, and mope. If it is my last year in Minnesota, I'm going to enjoy the heck out of it.

"I'd like to win a lot more games, and I'm hoping we finish off really good here. I like these guys out here. We're having some fun. I have fun with these guys in this clubhouse and on the bench. They're trying hard, and I see some really good things coming."